INTRODUCTION. 5 



of the Big Mesa, sloping down to the Nine Mile. 

 Through this ranch ran a little creek called Range 

 Creek. The soil was sandy and gravelly along the 

 creek, not very fertile. The climate was intensely 

 hot ; often the thermometer would climb to 110 and 

 stay there day after day. Cattle and horses were 

 kept on the ranch, some 2,000 cattle at times. In 

 the narrow sandy valley little ditches were made to 

 lead the water from the bubbling creek, idle fo-r ages 

 though once Cliff Dwellers had farmed along its 

 banks and grown corn, which they had stored in 

 adobe -and stone treasure houses high up under the 

 cliffs. Now little fields were cleared from their en- 

 cumbering sagebrush and grease wood, the water 

 turned on, and they were planted to corn and al- 

 falfa. It was called lucern then; later the name 

 alfalfa overpowered and became almost universal. 

 At first the alfalfa did not thrive along Range 

 Creek. It made a small feeble growth, but it stuck. 

 In one field especially, down close to the headquar- 

 ters cabin, alfalfa grew the first year no more than 

 about 6 inches high. The boy, who already had 

 charge of the farm and general charge of all the 

 ranch, was disgusted with it and wished to plow it 

 up and try something else. The soil there was 

 sandy, gravelly, open and rather coarse. An old- 

 timer happening in at the right time counseled 

 against plowing it. "Let it be; you may have good 

 alfalfa there another year, ' ' he said. This advice was 

 heeded ; the next year the alfalfa there grew so high 

 that when the burros would walk out into it onlv 



